Windows 7 $30 for students

Never went to Vista so why am I thinking about going to Windows 7?  Because it is $30!

"Like so many of the recent Windows 7 promotions, it’s a limited time offer with more than a few caveats. But, details aside, Microsoft is offering college students Windows 7 for $29.99, according to a new deal announced on September 17." The http://www.win741.com/ site has the details.

Update: Flip UltraHD

I received my Flip UltraHD yesterday and am really enjoying it. It is sleek, and is ready to go right out of the box (just be sure to put the battery in). What is really impressive is how easy it is to use. Literally just point and shoot. I used it to shoot this video at the Detroit Airport.

The Flip UltraHD shoots 720p HD video and has an HDMI port so you can directly plug it into my plasma.

Once you are finished shooting just plug the Flip into your USB port on your computer, the software is already installed, and you are presented with an array of options on how you want to view, upload, or edit your video. The software lets you directly upload to your YouTube or MySpace account so you can share your video with anyone. I added Flip's music to the video, added a title screen, and credits in less than five minutes, very impressive.  Use it with the Gorillapod tripod and the Flip UltraHD is a must for any backpack journalist.

Zoom H2

My newest purchase for school: Zoom H2

From the Zoom website: "The H2 begins with a simple idea: provide brilliant stereo recording in an easy-to-use, ultra-portable device. Now everyone can record pristine audio in an infinite variety of applications. From seminars and conferences, to electronic news gathering(ENG), interviews and podcasting, to musical performances, songwriting sessions and rehearsals, the H2 provides amazing recording quality. And no matter what kind of recording you want to make, the H2 can effortlessly record it."

Home Theater

Over the past year I have put together my dream home theater system.  My wife's rules were that she didn't want to see any equipment (all the equipment is in a side closet out of sight!), no speakers running all over, and no wires. By shopping online I saved 34% over retail. Here is how it came out.

 

St. John Video

Here is a video/slideshow I put together for my family on a recent trip to St. John, USVI and Jost van Dyke, BVI. With 70% of the island being a national park, St. John is not over developed and manages to keep its local island charm. We stayed with a college buddy who lives on the island and had the best time acting like a local. Near the end of the vaction we rented a sailboat and spent the night at Jost van Dyke enjoying great bars like Foxy's, One Love, and the Soggy Dollar Bar. 

All the video and photos were shot by me.

Documentary: Chasing Butterflies

This is a short 10 minute documentary on Lupus I shot along with two other students as part of Georgetown's Intro to Documentary Film.  It is now being used by the Lupus Foundation of America Greater Washington Chapter. 

This is a video chat with Kamel Mansari, an inspiring Algerian journalist, I put together for World Press Freedom Day.

World Press Freedom Day

No Recession for Community Development Corporations

This is a paper I wrote back in December 2008 about CDCs in DC and the recession.  Unfortunately I never sent it around to be published.

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No Recession for Community Development Corporations
by Michael Clarke
December 18, 2008

WASHINGTON DC - On Dec. 1, the Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) announced that a recession in the U.S. began in December 2007. But in DC and other cities around the nation, there are some corporations bracing for a tsunami of business. With optimism like that, why is the outlook so bleak?

ABC 7 I-Team: Cheerleader Safety

Here is a link to a story I worked on with WJLA's Roberta Baskin as part of an Investigative Reporting class I took at Georgetown.  The original air date is November 20, 2008.

This is a short film IREX put together to celebrate it's 40th aniversary.  I shot the video for the DC interviews.

40 Years of Building Relationships & Sharing Expertise